Who rules the world?
by Innocencie
Summary: Bella runs to Volterra to save Edward, to find out who Aro Volturi is.
1. Chapter 1

**How is it possible that thousands of people have missed and nobody notices? The government uses satellites and spy technology so how is it possible that nobody notices that there is a group of immortal creatures and they are everywhere around the world? **

**I wonder how is it possible that somebody so power-hungry and powerful like Aro is satisfied with the vampire world only? Maybe he is not. **

**This is Aro and Bella story. It might be pretty dark sometimes.**

**I´m sorry for my mistakes. I´m not a native speaker.**

**I use some expressions and sentences from Stephenie Meyer´s books, because they are too good to be replaced. She owns these sentences and all characters in this story.**

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><p>My heart pounded and, despite the cold air, I felt the sweat trickling down my body. I trembled with fear.<p>

Edward´s hand rubbed against my arm.

"Don´t be afraid," he whispered. I tried to speak but I couldn't utter a word.

I looked round. We were standing in a brighter, cavernous room, perfectly round like a huge castle turret. Two stories up, long window slits threw thin rectangles of bright sunlight onto the stone floor below. There were no artificial lights. The only furniture in the room were three massive wooden thrones, that were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls.

The room was not empty. There were a couple of immortals dressed in inconspicuous pants and shirts and females in summer dresses. Their eyes were fixed on us, but I ignored their presence as I stared at the man in the black robe in front of us. His skin was pale and it looked delicate in contrast to the long black hair that framed his face. I felt a horrifying urge to touch his cheek. He glided forward with such surreal grace that I was unable to avert my eyes from him. I gawked at him, compelled to watch him slowly approach. Hypnotised by terror.

"What a happy surprise! Bella is alive after all. Isn´t that wonderful? I love happy endings because they are so rare."

"You see, Edward?" The vampire smiled at Edward. "Aren't you glad that I didn't kill you yesterday?"

"Yes, Aro, I am," he agreed, tightening his arm around my waist. I pressed myself against him like a terrified child.

"Bella!" Aro cried out and I flinched. "I have heard a lot about you." His eyes pierced my soul. I only nodded but I had no idea what he was talking about.

I saw Alice from the corner of my eye. She looked perfectly relaxed, except that her hands were balled into fists.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced properly, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already." He tilted his head and winked at me.

"Aro is capable of reading someone's thoughts and memories. He needs a touch but he can see more than I do. I can only hear what is passing through someone´s head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had," Edward explained.

I gulped.

"But you can´t see Bella´s thoughts. It is fascinating for me. I would like to see if you are an exception to my gift, as well?"

Aro took a step toward me and extended his hand to me. "Would you do me the honor?" He tilted his head, smiling and held up his hand for me.

Despite his politeness, I knew it had not been a question but an order. I raised my hand in front of me, trembling. He wrapped his fingers around my arm and pulled me closer to him. He bent his head over our touching hands, his eyes closing as he concentrated. After a while he released my hand and said," it is interesting. I can see nothing." He turned his gaze to little Jane. "I wonder if Isabella is immune to all our gifts." He winked at Jane. "Shall we, Jane?"

"No," Edward shouted out and lunged at Jane but he was immediately on the ground writhing in pain. No one had touched him. I remembered what Alice had said about their formidable gifts.

_My God!_

"Stop!" I shrieked. "You are hurting him. Please stop!" I fixed my eyes on Aro.

"Jane," he whispered slowly.

"Master?" She looked at him adoringly.

"I would like to see if Isabella is immune to you." Aro turned his head to me, smiling.

Jane´s eyes pierced me with a look of hate and passion as if she told me that she would torture me with pleasure. I bit my lip, waiting for pain, but I felt nothing. A little vampire glared at me with her jaw clenched in concentration but nothing happened. She looked frustrated, taking two steps toward me clearly ready to lunge at me, but her brother grabbed her hand, and shook his head in disapproval.

Aro laughed. "Don´t be disturbed, dear Jane. She confounded us all. She blocked our power! This is wonderful!" Looking enraptured, he scrutinized me. Apparently he was the only one in the room who found it wonderful. The rest of vampires, including Caius, glared at me with such hatred that my blood froze in my veins.

"I have never seen anything like this in my life," Aro crooned. "What do we do with you now?" He clasped his hands together.

"You already know what you have to do, Aro," Marcus said.

"She knows too much. She is a liability. Her life is forfeit." I heard Cauis´s voice.

I started trembling. Aro scrutinized me. Apparently he was not pleased with the way the conversation had gone. Our eyes were locked. He seemed conflicted. _He doesn´t want to kill me._ A glimmer of hope crossed my mind. _Perhaps he let me go._

"Yes, it is true." He sighed and nodded his head. "Edward, is there any chance you would change your decision and would give her immortality?"

"Yes." Edward blurted out.

"But I'm afraid you would have to mean it." Aro raised his hand in front of him.

Edward stared down at me with a tortured expression.

"Please, Edward," I whispered. My voice trembled with fear. "Don´t let me die. I don´t want to die." A low sob escaped my lips.

He shook his head. "No. I can´t change you. Bella, I´m sorry."

I felt like I´d been punched in the stomach. My hairs on my nape raised in fear.

Aro closed his eyes, nodded, and then took a few steps back. " She isn´t rewarded according as she deserved. OK, her blood is on your hands, Edward."

My eyes popped. A sharp needle of fear pricked my mind._ What?_ _No._ _Edward, you are a_ s_tupid jerk_. I had survived so many attacks. James had wanted to kill me, his mate had been after me, and Laurent had wanted to drain me in the clearing. I could not believe that I would lose my life in Volterra. Panic swept through me. I would fight and would not give up.

Aro turned his gaze to Felix. _He wants Felix to kill me_. I acted quickly. I did something that nobody expected. I wriggled out of Edward´s grasp without a struggle and moved toward Aro. I had nothing to lose. I went to meet my fate. I would shock him. I would do everything to survive_. _

_Whatever it takes, I´ll pay_.

Aro waved off his anxious guard as they wanted to catch me. I looked in his eyes, moving closer. Adrenalin spurted through my veins. He was curious what I did. I steeled myself to speak to him in a steady voice.

"If you want me dead, kill me yourself." My soft voice echoed in the silent room. I heard my heart beating in my chest and my blood throbbing in my veins. I made every effort to suppress my fear.

_If Aro kills me, I hope Edward will spend an eternity feeling remorse._

All vampires stood like statues, staring at me. A black-haired female vampire stood next to Aro and did not take her eyes off me. I walked as gracefully as possible, watching Aro´s face for clues that would allow me inside his mind. I was so close to him. I took one more step and our bodies almost touched. He did not move, just watching me. He did not smile, his gaze distant, cold and unruffled.

The female vampire looked bewildered. Aro raised his hand and waved her off without breaking eye contact with me.

"No, Bella." I heard Edward cry out. He was immediately grabbed by Felix so as not to interfere in my execution.

"Could you drain me instead of tearing my head off?" I whispered but I hoped that he would let me live.

His eyes became darker and then they were black and hungry. It was like seeing the face of death. I averted my eyes from his face, terrified. Nevertheless, I still hoped that I would survive. He let silence swallow us.

_Do it better, Bella. _I closed my eyes._ Take a deep breath. Calm down. __Muster the courage._

"I always wondered if I would see an angel of death when I am dying. Now I know. Now I know what he looks like," I whispered.

"What does he look like?" His voice was low.

I shyly raised my eyes to him. There was almost no space between us. I felt the coldness of his skin. "He is beautiful and terrifying like a falling star." I paused. "Breath away." I exhaled and I meant it. He took my breath away.

I tilted my head to give him better access to my neck, letting his lips touch my skin. I shivered under his kiss, not only because his lips were so cold, but also because I had never felt such tenderness before. All other vampires, including Edward, ceased to exist. Aro's nose grazed my exposed throat, inhaling my scent. I felt the tip of his tongue licking my skin and his teeth nipping me. I felt a shiver run down my spine. Vampires were the most dangerous thing I had ever encountered. The deadly beast was grazing my throat. I got scared so I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. I felt his eyes slide down to our touching hands. He intertwined his fingers with mine and squeezed me tenderly. He looked in my eyes again. I was not able to read his expression.

I was surrounded by his scent which made my head turn. I struggled for breath.

"I am impressed because you acted not only courageously but also with great presence of mind. I need some privacy," he whispered so low only I could hear him. I was bewildered.

_Why?_

"Bella, no!" Edward growled. "You have no idea…" Jane used her gift again and he fell on the floor.

I ignored Edward. My hand was still in Aro´s. I shrugged my shoulders. I did not know what he intended to do but I needed to gain more time. "Do what you want," I whispered.

He motioned for me to follow and then led me to a dark corridor.

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><p><strong>What do you think? Is it worth updating?<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

We went down the drafty corridor. I was shaking. I thought it was from fear but then I realized that it was from cold. My teeth started chattering together so loud that Aro had to hear it but he said nothing.

We kept going through the empty stone hallway with priceless paintings and sculptures. It was amazing to me. _Aro must be a collector._ I did not understand how I could admire paintings now. I was alone with a strange vampire. _What does he want?_ I looked at him from the corner of my eye. He glided gracefully next to me. Unlike me, he walked with the assurance of a man who knew where he was going.

He turned his head to me.

"Are you afraid?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," I said in a tremulous voice.

"You can trust me now. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead."

He did not want my death, but it did not mean that I was safe.

"OK, I trust you."

He stopped, watching me and then he extended his hand, gently touched my cheek with his cool fingers and his thumb stroked my lips. I closed my eyes and stood still. It was strange that such large and strong hands could be so incredibly tender. The hand of my executioner brushed my face and slid down my throat. _Will he snap my neck?_ I shuddered. I was riveted to the spot.

"I am glad to hear that. I have a bad reputation, Isabella. I know who I am. I am not a nice person but I can be nice to people when I decide to be. I can be nice to you."

I opened my eyes and met his gaze that was so intense and he held it for so long that I dropped my eyes. He took my hand and led me to the large door. He opened it for me. I stepped through the door, and glanced around me in surprise. We were in a brightly lit room. The walls were white, the floor carpeted in crimson. Common fluorescent lights were spaced along the ceiling. It was warmer here, for which I was grateful, because my dress was still wet.

There were a large bed on the far left, two leather armchairs and coffee table on the right.

"You can clean yourself up and change your clothes or you will catch a cold." He took a blue dress from the mahogany wardrobe and handed it to me.

I went to the bathroom and my eyes popped. I had never seen such an incredible bathroom. It was made of white marble. There were a whirlpool bath and a luxury shower cabin. Unfortunately, I had no time to take a bath. I took my clothes off and stepped into the shower cabin, letting the warm water run over me.

After finishing showering, I dried my hair and put on the expensive-looking dress. It was an incredible feeling to be clean and nice smelling again.

I went back to the room, and Aro asked me to sit down in the armchair. I looked around shyly. There were paintings hanging on the walls. One of them caught my attention. There was somebody who looked like a demon in the picture. He was red like fire and his wings were flames. But his face and the shape of his body was beautiful. He had an angel in his arms. She looked like air or water or maybe ice. She was white with a blue tint.

I stood up and went toward the picture, fascinated. I was not sure if they made love or fought.

"Do you like it?" I heard behind me.

"Yes." I nodded. "It is strange."

"The picture was painted by one very talented young artist. Unfortunately, he died too young. I admired his talent but I could not bear his conceit."

_Did Aro kill him?_ I sighed. The pressure in my chest began to build.

"What do you think that it means? What can you see in the picture?" I felt him behind me. He put his hand on the side of my neck, resting against my pulse.

"I don´t know. They are in love or it could be a human soul. There is not only good in us but evil as well or an eternal fight between good and evil." I shrugged my shoulders. "Hard to say."

"Yes. It could be." He gently wrapped his arms around me and guided me to the armchair. "Come and sit. We need to talk."

"Yes?" I sank into the armchair and fixed my eyes on him. He allowed silence to engulf us. He simply sat and returned my gaze with an unruffled expression. He made me nervous. I wanted to say something, in order to free myself from the discomfort of quiet but I could not.

"I know a lot about you, Isabella." His voice was low and smooth. "One member of my guard has a special gift. He is able to recognize gifted persons and he found you. It is really a happy coincidence that you are here and I can reduce my travel expenses." He laughed at his joke.

"Yes." I nodded. I was not sure what his point was. "What kind of gift have I?"

"Patience, Isabella. I will get there." He raised his hand to silence me. "You have two gifts and both are very precious. You are a mental shield. That is the reason why Edward and I are unable to read your mind. You are immune to mind readers and mind manipulators. I think that you will be able to protect not only yourself but others. You will be able to project a special force field like Renata. She is my shield against physical attacks. She can divert them but you broke her shield today. She was not able to repel you. You came to me through her shield. She was very embarrassed, because it had never happened to her before."

_I understand. I am an interesting piece for his collection. Does he want to recruit me? _I found that idea totally repugnant. _No way. I want to go home._

"Why do you tell me that?"

"Because I am interested in your gifts. I want you," he said as if I was an inanimate object.

My mouth tightened into a forced smile, and I waited before replying. I was careful not to react too impulsively. _Remember Bella, who is in front of you._ It would not be reasonable to make my enemy of him.

„I am flattered, Mr. Volturi. That means a lot to me. But you wanted to kill me an hour ago." I could vividly remember that.

"No, you were safe all the time." He shook his head. "Felix knows how precious you are. I only wanted to see Edward´s reaction and I must say that I am very disappointed with his attitude toward you."

I was disappointed too but I did not want to discuss that.

"What about my second gift?"

He scrutinized me. "You can provide more than your mental shield." He paused. "Isabella, you will know everything at the right time."

"Would you like a cup of tea or some juice?" He pointed at the tea pitcher and the jug of juice standing on the small mahogany round coffee table situated between our armchairs.

"Thank you." I poured myself a glass of juice, because I found it inappropriate to let him serve me.

I leaned back against the armchair, trying to mirror his seating position.

"Whose room is it?" I picked up my glass, swirling it before taking a sip.

"Do you like it?"

"Absolutely." I nodded and took another sip.

"The room is yours, Isabella."

I jumped to my feet and huffed. My glass shattered as it hit the coffee table. My first thought was, _this can´t be true_. I wanted to cry. _You can´t hold me here!_ _But they kill people. I have no rights here._ I stared at him terrified.

"Sit down," he hissed and pointed at the armchair. His gaze and voice told me that he would not argue about that.

I sat down and swallowed the bitter taste gathering in my mouth. I breathed in and out, trying to compose myself, trying to act reasonably.

"Please, give me more time," I whispered, biting my lips.

"How much time do you need?" he asked in a softer voice.

"One year, at least." One year was not enough but I did not want to push my luck.

"I give you one month. I expect you to return in one month. It is enough time for you to make all the necessary arrangements."

I watched the floor without answering.

"Excuse me, please." I stood up and went to the bathroom. I hovered on the brink of panic. I took a deep breath, an attempt to relieve anxiety that had been building over the last hours.

The first wave of dizziness caught me at the washbasin as I was watching my reflection in the mirror. I swayed for a moment. I smoothed my hair and then I started pacing back and forth in the bathroom to calm myself down. I had received more information than I could take.

The second wave came as I was washing my face. It lasted a few seconds, the room spun around me and my legs weakened. I gripped the edge of the washbasin so as not to fall on the floor and then with an unsure gait, I walked into the room.

"What is it?" Aro stood up.

"I am dizzy," I whispered.

He came to me, took me in his arms, and laid me down on the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking my hand. "Everything will be fine," he purred. "You will sleep and you will be better after waking up. It was a stressful day, Isabella."

"Why…?" I could not speak. I wanted to stand up but my arms and legs did not move, nor could I turn my head. A sudden flood of panic overtook me. I was trapped in my body incapable of moving or speaking. He must have doctored my juice. _Why?_ I fought the urge to close my eyes.

He walked across the room, reached the switch, and turned down the light. My eyes followed his every move. He took his robe and jacket off, tossed them onto an armchair, and undid three buttons of his shirt, baring his masculine chest. His black shirt outlined a perfect shape of his body.

_What is he doing?_ My pulse jumped up. I tried to move but it was hopeless.

He slowly approached my bed. I was hypnotised by his dark piercing eyes and terrified of his facial expression; feral, predatory and hungry. He sat down without breaking his eye contact with me. He leaned closer, his lips touching the shell of my ear as he whispered, "trust me." His low voice struck my core.

"I am going to make you more comfortable." He untied my bodice and pulled my dress off effortlessly.

_No!_ I panicked.

He didn´t touch me but I felt his eyes trailing down my body and burning my skin.

_What is he doing?_

He pressed his fingers on my carotid artery as if he wanted to check my pulse.

"Don´t let your heart explode, Isabella," he whispered. "I will not hurt you."

He took a warm blanket and covered me. _Yes_. I slightly relaxed. I felt this incredibly soft fabric against my naked body.

He leaned over me again. "You are safe, Isabella. Close your eyes. Get some sleep," he whispered.

My eyes were riveted on him. _Why? _

I felt his hand stroking my hair and then traveling tenderly down my face and neck. His touch, his scent and his voice made me shiver. I was terrified, embarrassed, bewildered but shamefully aroused. My chest was heaving up and down with ragged breaths. I could not process the mixture of opposing feelings. I could barely keep my eyes open. I wanted to sleep.

"You will just sleep. You need to relax. Close your eyes." I heard his whisper again. I wanted to trust him. I had to.

My vision blurred and I drifted off to sleep. The darkness swallowed me.

**Sleeping Beauty** **is safe with Aro. Aro had a reason to put her to sleep. The reason had nothing to do with a sexual abuse. He is after something. He needs to find something out. We will see later. **

**What do you think? **


	3. Chapter 3

I was observing the painting in the Carlisle´s study when Carlisle came in.

There were four vampires on a balcony overlooking a crowd of people. They had contemptuous expressions on their faces as if people below them were nothing.

"Aro." I sighed. "He looks far better in reality. Actually, I have never seen such a beautiful creature." I turned my head to Carlisle.

Carlisle smiled and nodded. " I think the painter was not very talented but I like this picture." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell me more about the Volturi." I demanded.

"Aro, Caius, and Marcus are a family," he explained. "A very old, very powerful family of our kind. I lived with them a few decades.

"Aro and Marcus are talented. They have nine members of the guard that are permanent. Others are more transitory. Many of them are gifted as well—with formidable gifts. Aro has been collecting them like artifacts."

"Aro offered me a place with them. He is interested in my gifts." I exhaled.

Carlisle nodded. "It doesn´t look good for you, Isabella."

"Tell me more about Aro." I ignored his remark.

"What do you need to know? He is dark, dangerous, evil but he shows mercy sometimes. He is very powerful. You have no idea how powerful he is." He sighed.

"Is he something like your king?"

"I don´t think that he is our….. Isabella, there is something very strange." He changed the subject rapidly. "I have received a message from him and I must confess that I am really terrified." He gulped, locked his amber eyes with mine and then he continued, "he forbid us to change you and Edward is not allowed to approach you. We have to protect you from everything. If we subvert his will, Esme´s life will be forfeit."

I stared at him, frozen with shock."Why Esme?" I blurted out.

"Because that would be the worst punishment for me, worse than my death. I am responsible for you."

"You scare me." I put my hand on my mouth.

"Sit." Carlisle gestured to a comfortable looking armchair. " We need to talk. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

I shook my head. "Just continue, please."

"You think Aro rules only the vampire world, don´t you? But it isn´t true. He would never let humans rule this planet. Everyone, who is somebody, is bonded to him. Presidents, heads of big organizations or corporations, every single one of them is controlled by him like a piece on his chessboard. Some politicians are vampires. Vampires are everywhere."

I watched him with my mouth open. "What do you mean by bonded?" I shook my head in confusion.

"A female member of the guard, Chelsea has influence over the emotional ties between persons. She can loosen or secure bonds. She is able to make someone feel bonded to Aro, to want to belong and serve him. In a fight, Chelsea can break the ties that bind vampires together and the coven just dissolves."

"My God." I gulped. My pulse was thudding in my ears.

"That is not all. He has always been a patron of the arts and sciences. His money is everywhere. He is three thousand years old. He knows a lot about everything." Carlisle sat down in the armchair and put his hands on the armrests.

"Are you telling me that he is responsible for wars, poverty and crises?" My voice choked in my throat with panic.

"I don´t think he is responsible for everything. He doesn´t interfere in your business. He protects his own interests and interests of our kind. He has always said that wars and epidemics are very useful for our planet because they create a balance. The strong will survive and the weak deserve nothing better than death.

Aro is not a sadist. He has never been but he needs to know and control. All these satellites and spy technology are controlled by people bonded to Aro. These people are capable of everything for him."

I looked at him speechless, trembling. I was shocked by Aro´s power but it was obvious that somebody like Aro would not be satisfied with the vampire world only.

"Why is he afraid that humans will find out the truth about your kind?"

"I don´t think he is afraid of exposure. Perhaps he finds this way better but humans have no chance against vampires. You are too dependent on technology that Aro owns. All these weapons, satellites and communication technology could be turned off just like that." He snapped his fingers. "Then you are helpless and unable to fight or defend yourselves. You are not a real threat."

The mere thought of it made me shiver.

"I think legends about Hades and the Devil must have been spread by people who met Aro." He exhaled and licked his lips. "He is like a puppeteer who pulls the strings. He controls the world using people who have no idea that he exists. They just feel the compulsion and they do what they are told."

He continued, "he uses people. Aro is not a fool. He knows that vampires are mostly interested in blood and killing. Our kind is almost unable to create something only to destroy. He needs exceptional humans to satisfy his thirst for knowledge and beauty. He has always been a very civilized, highly intelligent and exceptional person. He could make a farm from this planet. Vampires could keep humans like humans keep animals. It is so easy to turn your world into chaos. Isabella, you have no idea," he whispered.

Every fibre of my being trembled. I was confused about my opposing feelings. I felt fear and excitement. I did not know which feeling to accept. I found Aro incredibly compelling. I imagined him in his black robe with his piercing eyes and hungry expression on his face. I wanted to do something forbidden, something indecent. I wanted to be used to satisfy his needs, to be the object of his desire, burst into flames of passion. I knew that my feelings were wrong but I could not help myself. _Where did that come from?_

"What did Aro tell you?" His voice returned me to reality.

"I don´t know. My memories are hazy. We were in a room and he spoke about my gifts. I was told I am a mental shield but the second…" I bit my lip. "He didn´t tell me what my second gift is." I exhaled. "He put me to sleep, drugged me." It sounds strange but it was quite a nice experience after all." I remembered his seductive scent, low dark voice and hands stripping my dress. _My God, stop it._

Carlisle raised his eyebrows.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don´t know why."

"Perhaps he wanted to test your shield or tried to read your mind."

"He was nice to me, Carlisle."

"He could be nice when you obey him and follow his rules but don´t dare to challenge him."

"I did. I should have joined the Volturi two weeks ago. I decided not to do that." I frowned and bit my lip.

"Isabella!" Carlisle cried out.

"I know but I was too scared and I didn´t want to leave my father. I thought there are werewolves in Forks. Perhaps I could hide here. Perhaps Aro would lose his interest." Nevertheless, I was aware of the fact that my feelings were different now.

"There is nowhere to hide, Isabella. I will book two airline tickets. We are going to Volterra tomorrow," Carlisle said.

I only nodded. I did not understand my emotions but I could not wait to see him again.

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><p><strong>Thank you for your reviews. I would love to know if you like Aro´s character. It is a very important information for the next chapters.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

It was just beginning to get dark when I reached my home. I stepped out of the car and I shut the car door behind me. Suddenly I sensed that I was being watched. I took a look around, staring at the tree line with my nerves on full alert. I froze, seeing something from the corner of my eye. It looked like a human or…I gulped, a vampire but I was not sure. He moved silently in the trees. I held my breath. It made my hair stand on end.

_It is only my imagination. There is nobody there._

I closed my eyes and shook my head. When I looked again he was gone.

I hurried toward the front door, trying to find my keys in my purse. I looked over my shoulder. _There is nobody there. _ Nevertheless, I did not breathe until I opened the door. I slipped through the door, shut it behind me and locked. Breathing heavily, I collapsed on the floor. Charlie was not at home because he worked overnight.

After calming myself down, I ran through the house, checking all of the window latches and then latched the back door. I felt slightly better. I took a shower and then started packing my necessary things like favourite clothes, photos and some presents I had got for my birthdays.

The lack of choices caused me great stress and anxiety. Nobody had told me what would happen to me. I did not know what Aro wanted. My tears were trickling down my face. _My last night in Forks_. I wrote a letter to Charlie and placed it on my desk. _I will miss him so much_. I knew that he would suffer. Perhaps Aro would let me see him again.

After finishing packing my luggage, I went to bed but I could not sleep. I lay with my hands behind my head, staring at the ceiling. I could take the sleeping pills, but it was not the best idea. I had already taken so many pills because of Edward that they did not work anymore. They only made me feel more tired.

I sat on the bed and pressed my teddy bear on my chest. I felt empty inside and exhausted.

After a few hours I finally fell asleep. I did not know what I had dreamt about but I woke up in the middle of the night with the feeling of being watched again. I looked around and froze in shock. Somebody was sitting in my armchair. I pulled the blanket tighter under my chin, staring at the person. I bit my lip to remain silent. Who is he? Why is he here?

"Hello, Isabella," he whispered, savouring the pronunciation of my name. "You can switch the light on if you want."

I got out of my bed to reach the switch and turned the light on. I froze, looking right into his eyes.

"Aro," I whispered. It was not possible not to see his almost black eyes.

"Yes." He breathed out.

I bit my lip, moving very quickly toward my bed, and then jumped in and got under the blanket again. „Are you here to hurt me?" I frowned at him.

"You know why I am here, little one. I am here to ask you what is taking you so long." He pressed his lips together.

His eyes were wide open and locked with mine. He sat perfectly composed in the armchair, watching me with a strange and unreadable expression on his face. I had to admit to myself again that he looked perfect. His black hair matched his expensive suit. It was strange to see somebody like him in my room. He did not fit in with the suroundings.

"We had a deal. I have been patiently waiting for six weeks. How long should I wait for you to come? Until the stars burn out or until kingdom come?"

I turned away from him, curling up into a ball under the blanket. He was terrifying. I wanted to disappear. My dreams of him were so beautiful in comparison to the cruel reality.

He watched me and then he said," Isabella, may I have your attention? I am still here. You are not too polite."

I sat on my bed and looked at him, gathering my courage, and then I said, "I am sorry sir, but you were not invited. You have broken into my bedroom in the middle of the night and scared me. I considered you a gentleman but I was wrong. Your behaviour is unjustifiable. I deserve to feel safe from harm in my home. I am an American citizen and I have my rights," I blurted it out, watching his expression changing.

The full force of his murderous gaze was upon me. He squeezed the armrests of the armchair so tightly that the heavy solid wood splintered. Then he stood up and moved slowly and silently toward my bed without taking his eyes off mine.

I cowered and pulled my blanket higher as if it could save me. The shiver ran down my spine. _O my God_. When I was a child and I had a bad dream, I hid myself under my bed to feel safe. I wanted to crawl under my bed but I could not move.

"Who do you think I am, Isabella? A lawyer? A social worker?" he hissed.

"I know who you are," I said quickly, trying to divert his attention from my stupid behaviour and lightened the atmosphere.

Looking surprised, he stopped in front of my bed and tilted his head.

_It works._

"What do you know about me? Tell me everything and do not leave out anything." He raised his eyebrows.

"I only know that you are…. " I paused. _The Devil_. I was sure he knew that I knew. " I won't tell anyone. I swear. Nobody would believe me and nobody is able to do anything against you. You know that."

He scrutinized me. "Get dressed. We have to go."

"Go? I would like to go with Carlisle. He has already booked our airline tickets."

His eyes pierced me. He folded his arms on his chest, watching my despair. "No, Carlisle stays here because I don´t want him in Volterra now."

"No! You just can´t come here and kidnap me!" I still found the courage to defy him.

He looked at me in disbelief. "I am not asking," he snarled. "You will not refuse me, Isabella. I have been waiting for someone like you for three thousand years and I will not let you slip through my fingers. I gave you a month. You had enough time to say goodbye. I interpret your behaviour as an insult and a challenge to my authority. I assume that you don´t appreciate my expression of goodwill. Am I right?" He tightened his lips, apparently trying to swallow his anger, and then he continued quietly, "I will not humiliate myself again and again." He looked offended.

_Humiliate?_ "No." I shook my head. "I appreciate that, Mr. Volturi." I stood up, walked across the room, and stopped in front of my closet, leaning my head against it. I was shaking. My blood was racing in my veins and my heart was pounding in my chest. I got headache. I could feel my body temperature rising and after a few seconds I felt like my whole body was on fire. I exhaled, wiping the tears off my face. A low sob escaped my lips. I was so vulnerable and confused.

"Isabella, do not cry." I heard Aro´s beautiful whisper. Clearly he used his voice to soothe me. He was right behind me. He just gently touched my bare arms. I closed my eyes. I felt his cool hand against my hot cheek. _Yes._ I nuzzled against it. He turned me toward him and put one hand on my forehead and the other on my neck. I sighed.

"You are hot with fever. It must be because of pressure. It is rare but anxiety can have a negative effect on your body temperature and cause a fever. You are such a drama queen. I am not here to hurt you." He stroked my cheek.

"I am scared. I don´t feel like an adult." I tried to protest again.

He cast his eyes over the walls, apparently thinking, and then he gave me an incredibly nice smile and said, "in this case, you are allowed to take your favourite teddy bear with you or I can buy you one, Isabella." His eyes softened.

His smile was infectious. I could not help but smile tiredly when I imagined Aro buying a teddy bear in a toy shop.

"Don´t be afraid, Isabella. I will take care of you and protect you from everything. I promise. But we have to go now because our jet is waiting for us," he whispered.

"What will happen to me? Do you want to turn me?"

"Yes, I do, but everything in its time. No pressure. You can make diamond when you put graphite under high pressure and intense heat, but you can destroy diamond, you can burn it or shatter it into pieces with a hammer. You must be careful when you test its limits." His fingers stroked my jaw. "It is a very delicate procedure." There was a staggering clarity in his eyes and a purity in his beautiful voice. I stared at him, enraptured.

My life in Forks was finished. It was incredibly difficult for me to leave but I had no choice. It was time to grow up and face the future.

**I hope you like it. Please, let me know. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for your reviews and that you have added my story to your favorite or alert lists. You help me write.**

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><p>Aro escorted me to a black car parked near our house. Felix and Jane stood in front of the car, waiting for their master.<p>

"Hello Isabella." Felix nodded a greeting, apparently trying to smile.

"Hello," I answered, trembling.

Jane glared at me silently with such hatred that I felt as if ice water had been poured over me. I mustered every bit of courage I could find to fight my fear.

"Jane, your lack of self-control is a luxury we can no longer afford," Aro said coldly, clearly noticing her behaviour.

"I am sorry, Master." Jane nodded in acquiescence.

We got in the car. The car's engine sparked to life and moments later we were speeding down a familiar road. As we passed my house, I turned my head toward it, and raised my hand as I waved goodbye.

Letting out a long breath, I suddenly felt all alone. An uneasiness crossed my mind and I felt the tears welling below the surface. I tried to sort out my thoughts and realign every cell in my body to accept the situation.

Aro placed his hand on mine and his thumb rubbed my skin. I raised my eyes to him. He smiled, apparently trying to express his sympathy for me. I knew he was responsible for my suffering, however I could not help but accept it by nodding my head. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pressed me against him. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his chest. I felt better. I wanted to stay in his embrace for hours. I felt like a ship in a storm and experienced the familiar collision of fear and excitement again. I was filled with disquiet, trembling, yet hours in his arms seemed like minutes.

Felix pulled into the parking lot in front of the airport terminal and we got out of the car. Jane handed me a long black coat with hood, luxury shoes and sunglasses.

"Put on these things," she said, clearly trying to sound polite.

I appreciated her effort and complied with her request silently.

A man in a black suit emerged from behind the building and darted toward us.

"Your Excellency, perfect timing," the man said. Your jet is waiting. May I escort you?"

"Of course, James." Aro nodded.

_Who is the man?_

We entered the terminal building, went across a large hall, heading toward the runway. Nobody stopped us, nobody wanted to see our passports or our luggage.

"What happened here?" Aro waved his hand in a wide arc.

The security guards were everywhere. It looked like an emergency.

"The surveillance system doesn´t work today, Your Excellency, and not only in this building but in the whole city."

Aro exhaled and joked, "modern technology will kill us one day."

"You are absolutely right, Your Excellency." The man smiled back.

He escorted us across the tarmac to the plane and then left.

A few minutes later, we sat inside the ultra-luxury cabin that looked like a living room. The walls were white, the floor carpeted in steely grey, the light colored leather seats looked like armchairs and couches. The modern luxury wooden tables were situated in front of the seats.

The engines roared to life beneath us and plane started taxiing. I swallowed and felt my pulse speed up. _I am really leaving my home._

"How do you feel?" Aro asked and glanced with a look of concern.

"Lonely. I am not used to being…" I gulped. _Abducted._

He sat down next to me on the couch.

"Did you damage the surveillance system?" I knew that it was a stupid question but I wanted to break the silence.

"No, but somebody did because I don´t like being on records. I like my privacy."

"Who was the man in the black suit? And why did he address you so strangely?"

Aro bursted into laughter. "You are a curious thing, lovely Isabella. James is an FBI agent. A dark agent with dark secrets. Excellency is a title for certain members of an organization or state," he answered. "I am an ambassador this week because I don´t like airports, security inspections and these kinds of things," he added.

"Ambassador? Could I see your card?" I was curious what it looked like.

"Yes." He smiled, pulled a plastic card from his breast pocket, and handed it to me.

I ran my finger along its face and then angled it against the light. "I am not an expert but it doesn´t look like a forgery."

"No, because it is real."

"Real?" I blurted out. "How is it possible?"

"Because I am a real ambassador this week." He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

It left me speechless but then I felt a sudden chill as I recalled Carlisle´s words.

"I am who I want to be," he whispered and his stare was so intense that I felt the air leave my lungs.

He did not sound arrogant or smug. He knew exactly who he was and he wanted me to know that too. It was both scary and exciting.

I prefered to stop asking him and decided to feign sleep.

In a few hours we spiraled into the airport. The plane touched down and taxied to a large hangar. We had to wait until twilight, and then Felix emerged from the cockpit and popped the door so that we could disembark.

As we exited the hangar, I heard the beating of helicopter blades from a distance. The chopper approached from the north, hovered a moment, and dropped toward the runway.

After touching down, the pilot jumped from the cockpit. She was tall, lithe and slim with pale skin and long mahogany hair. This incredibly beautiful pilot walked gracefully toward us. I knew her. I saw her guide the turists in Volterra or …sheep to the slaughter.

"Aro." She smiled and wrapped her arms around Aro´s neck and kissed him on his cheek. He patted her back. "Surprised?"

"Yes." Aro smiled.

She called him Aro. I was surprised. Judging by her behaviour, I was sure they were sexually involved. Of course, Aro was not a monk.

"Your dinner is in the castle. We didn´t wait for you but the youngest female is in your feeding room now." She smiled seductively. "And this young lady must be Isabella." She looked at me. "Wow," she said and looked back at Aro with a wicked grin.

"Behave yourself, Heidi." He smiled but he didn´t like it.

I held my breath, processing all information. People were slaughtered and a young girl would die today. Aro would kill her.

"How old is she?" I could not believe that I had asked.

"Old enough to…"

"Heidi!" Aro cut her off and his eyes pierced her. "It is enough," he hissed.

Heidi dropped her eyes, turned round, and darted toward the helicopter. We followed her silently on board. She fired up the engines and then with a roar, the chopper shot up and banked toward Volterra.

_The young girl is going to be slaughtered today_. I tried to block it out because I had enough problems of my own.

It was dark when we landed in the clearing behind Volterra. Aro took me in his arms without asking and moved toward the castle, using his vampire speed. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes.

As we entered the hallway, he released me. My head was spinning. He seized my hand and led me up a winding marble staircase to the throne room.

"You look pale, Isabella. Don´t be afraid. Nobody will dare to hurt you." He smiled at me.

"I´m fine," I lied, struggling to control my anxiety.

A gathering of vampires and two Volturi leaders were already waiting for us. As we entered the chamber, the vampires stopped speaking. Aro led me in front of his throne and then turned me to face the vampires in the room. I inhaled deeply, letting the air fill my lungs.

"Welcome home, Brother. I can see that you were successful." Caius grinned. "A new pet?"

"No," Aro answered resolutely and his voice echoed in the deathly silence. He stood behind me and placed his right hand on my shoulder. "This young lady is Isabella. She is my guest and she is crucially important for our coven and... for me. So we will behave respectfully toward her. That goes for everyone." He looked at Cauis and then his eyes slid to Jane. "I hope she is happy here and she joins us. Do you have any questions?" he asked, casting his eyes over the crowd.

Nobody had but they did not look excited.

Aro nodded his head and then turned to Felix.

"Felix, be so dear and escort Isabella to her room and take her luggage."

"Yes, Master." Felix bowed his head, clearly trying to hide his hatred for me, because he had to carry my luggage all the way to Volterra like my servant.

I looked around, trembling. I felt like everyone was my enemy. They stood still like statues, glaring at me silently. All red eyes in the room were upon me. My legs felt rubbery as I stared at them. _No, I go nowhere with Felix._

I took a small step back and pressed myself tightly against Aro. My hand reached his and squeezed it. Jane growled, looking at our touching hands. The gathering of vampires buzzed like a nest of hornets.

I turned my head and raised my eyes to Aro with a pleading expression on my face. He looked down at me in disbelief, pondering my fate like a judge.

_Hmm. It seems that I have broken the Volturi protocol again._

Watching him, I felt as if something had stirred within him. The expression in his eyes changed and it felt like the warm touch of a guardian angel.

Then he turned to Felix again. "Take her luggage to my suite, to the second bedroom."

"To Sulpicia´s bedroom?!" Cauis cried out.

"She doesn´t need this room anymore," he said and seemed perfectly composed.

Finally, he turned to me. "Come, Isabella. You can stay with me. I am going to show you your new room."

I exhaled, my eyes thanking him silently. I felt my heart slow down and the panic in my mind dissolved. He spun me toward him, gently stroking my cheek with his fingers, and then took my hand, leading me out of this dark place.

**I hope you like Aro and Bella relationship in this story. I am not sure about that. There is probably too much romance. I like dark Aro but I don´t write it for myself, so please, give me feedback. If you don´t review, I think you don´t like it this way. If you have a few seconds for me, so please, tell me what you think. I cannot wait to write the next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your reviews!** **I try to make the sentences more interesting but I am not a native speaker and I write at night so sorry for my mistakes. I hope my mistakes are not too annoying. **

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><p>I followed Aro to the elevator, not knowing what to expect. He pressed his palm on a glass box on the wall. A shaft of light moved back and forth, scanning his hand. I was impressed but then I felt a sudden pang of fear. <em>It is probably not possible to get in and out without his palm. <em>My heart sped up again.

The doors before us slid open and we boarded the lift.

"I will give you authorized access tomorrow," Aro said, watching my uneasiness. "This way is more practical than using keys."

"So I am allowed to leave my room." I came to this conclusion.

"Of course, but it would be wiser not to roam this place alone."

As we exited the lift, l found myself standing in a large, dark and cold tunnel. Aro stepped without hesitation into the darkness, his fingers wrapped around mine. Suddenly the fluorescents flickered on to light our way, extinguishing behind us. The security cameras were gazing down from the ceiling. The sound of my footsteps echoed through the dark corridor. The space was deserted. We were all alone.

We arrived at the end of a large hallway and stopped in front of a wooden door. Aro put his hand on the scanner again and the deadbolt fell open. _The door must be somehow special._ _Can this door resist the vampire´s strength? I don´t think so but everybody in the castle would hear the intruder __splintering__ the door. _

Despite the blast of warm air, I entered the dark room with a chill.

Aro snapped his fingers and the lights were turned on. I looked around, surveying the stunning room. The walls were white adorned with Renaissance paintings, oriental carpets laid over the marble floor, modern leather seating group situated in the middle of the room and modern marble fireplace on the opposite side. Despite the collision of styles, everything in the room was in perfect harmony.

"Please, sit down," Aro gestured toward the comfortable**-**looking armchair. "Or would you like to go to bed?"

I had been awake almost all night, but sleep was the last thing on my mind now. "No, thank you."

"You must be hungry. We hired a maid to cook and serve you. I will call her."

"No, thank you. I appreciate it, but I am not hungry. You are very kind, Mr. Volturi." I settled into the armchair and fixed my eyes on him. "May I ask you something?"

"Don´t hesitate, Isabella." He folded his arms on his chest.

"I am sorry, but could you tell me who Sulpicia is?" I smiled embarrassed.

"She is my wife," he answered quickly, perfectly composed, and I saw the hint of a smile on his beautiful face.

The questions in my mind circled faster and faster. "Is she dead?" I asked carefully.

"No, dead but damned."

My muscles tightened. _What a horrifying answer._ A shiver ran down my spine. I tried to relax, but the situation was too bizarre. I licked my lips, watching the furniture.

"I am sorry, I terrified you."

"No. Yes. Hmm." I stumbled. " You are very kind but…but I would like …. it seems that your guards hate me."

"No, Isabella. Let me explain the situation to you. Very few act as boldly toward me as you did in the throne room, and not for the first time so I assume that they were just confused. Their job is to protect their master from everything, prevent anyone from hurting or offending him and punish anyone who acts in an insulting way toward their master."

I frowned, biting my lips. I knew that I had broken their protocol.

He watched my reaction, smiling, and then he whispered, "I liked your behaviour."

I blushed. _He is not angry_. I relaxed slightly but I needed more information. I wondered how far to push him…how much to ask him. "Tell me please what will happen to me."

"Nothing bad. You are safe here, Isabella. You need to get some rest and tomorrow I would like to put you to the test," he informed.

_Test?_ _What a test again?_ I felt like I had been stabbed. "No!" I jumped up. I could hear my own heart racing and feel the muscles in my neck pulsing. I took two steps back, my eyes widened with dread.

He seemed confused by my reaction. "No?" he repeated quietly and his voice echoed across the room. "I have not heard so many times no since I became a vampire. I am so tired, Isabella." He exhaled.

"Please." The tears trickled down my face. "I am not a guinea pig." I sobbed terrified as I felt a surge of danger. The reality wrapped an icy grip around me. There was nobody to protect me from him, nobody who could grab his hand and ask, _what are you doing? _It was terrifying. _What are my rights?_ _He will decide my rights and my future. _

He narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips tightly together, scrutinizing me for a while, clearly pondering his answer, and then he said, "No, of course not, Isabella. I will do nothing without your permission…nothing against your will. Don´t cry." There was no trace of anger in his voice. "I will treat you with the utmost respect." He put both his hands on his heart.

I exhaled. That was a load off my mind. _He will not hurt me. He promised._

"Excuse me for being rude, sir but …"

"But you are too negative." He cut me off. "You seemed to trust me. Six weeks ago you believed that I would let you live and you trusted me today but now..." He did not finish the sentence. "It would not be painful and nobody would hurt you. I would never allow bad things to happen to you. I picked you up myself and I brought you here. You will stay in my wife´s room. So I assume that I deserve your trust. You could find out something about yourself and your shield. Think about that tomorrow. No pressure. What did I tell you about diamonds?"

No pressure. Nevertheless, I felt Aro had refused to give up. I reluctantly respected and accepted his logic.

"Do you want to put me to sleep again?….Naked?" I frowned.

"No, nothing like that." He shook his head and I sensed that he wanted to say something but apparently, he decided to leave it for a more convenient time.

"Why did you do that? You want me to trust you so tell me the truth."

"How much truth can you take?" he whispered and then fell silent, letting the sentence resonate.

"Could you read my mind when I was sleeping?"

"No, I could not. Don´t be disturbed, Isabella. Come, I will show you to your room."

He led me to the wooden double doors and pushed them open. He did not switch the light on. The moon´s rays filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in an eerie light. As my eyes adjusted, I could see the faint shapes of the furniture in the bedroom.

Aro went to the balcony, motioning for me to follow him to the moonlit night. The fresh air flowed into my lungs. The full moon was dazzling and bright, nothing blocked out its radiant light. The sky glistened with a thousand stars.

Aro stood, his back to the railing and his silhouette with the moon behind him. He moved toward me and touched my face. His hand was so tender on my skin. The gentle breeze tossed my dark hair, and he breathed it in.

"Your scent is so light, fresh and clean because of your shield is almost impossible to track you down or smell you from a longer distance."

"Edward told me the same thing. He told me a lot of things." I lowered my eyes. "I thought that I was something special for him. He told me that I was his soul mate." I smiled bitterly. "Such nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Aro raised his eyebrows. "There is an old legend. God created man and woman as one creature but they were too strong so God separated them. Since that time people have been searching for their soul mates. Once they find them they become one soul, body and mind. I have never believed that." He smiled. "Until now," he whispered and his face suddenly became very serious.

I froze unsure how to react. _Until now?_ _What is going on?_ I should be flattered but I was filled with disquiet instead. I did not believe that I was a vampire whisperer. I sighed.

"Did I scare you?" He tilted his head, staring deep into my eyes.

"No." I shook my head. "I am just distracted." I smiled embarrassed and ran my fingers through my hair.

I was. I knew I would stay in this place for an eternity and I would probably never return to Forks. I wanted to shed the tears, yet my heart had not been broken.

His eyes shone with excitement, clearly encouraging me to take one small step toward him, to cross the space between us and touch him. I stood like statue instead. _You are __skating on thin ice__._ One voice in my head said. _Perhaps he is as confused as you are. Perhaps he feels what you feel_. The other voice echoed in my mind. _No, it is not possible._ _Why not? _I felt an unexpected connection between us.

He took a step toward me, wrapped his arms around my torso and spun me to face the horizon. "The dawn is breaking," he whispered into my hair. "I think there is almost nothing more beautiful than a sunrise. It is like a new beginning," Aro said.

I looked at the horizon and watched the sun breaking through the sky. I forgot everything and simply stared in wonder. It was magic. The red-tiled roofs of Volterra spread out before me, glowing like they were on fire. I had to shield my eyes because the sunlight was blinding. My eyes slid down to Aro´s arms. He sparkled, like thousands of diamonds were embedded in his skin. I was overwhelmed by the rush of excitement.

"Yes, it is a new beginning," I whispered.

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><p><strong>Did you like it? Please reviews!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for your reviews. Sulpicia and Bella´s second gift...I will write about that later. This story could be or should be longer.**

**Warning: This story is M for a reason. I thought about the next chapters and it is definitely nothing for children. There will be some lighter chapters about Aro and Bella relationship but some very dark chapters about Aro and the Volturi.**

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><p>Aro moved back and forth, hovering above the floor. His feet never touched the floor as if the laws of physics did not exist for him. He fixed his eyes on the sleeping beauty. She finally fell asleep. She was so peaceful. He knelt beside her bed and ghosted his hand over her delicate face. He could feel the warmth radiating from her body and smell her light scent. He felt a stirring of arousal as he recalled her body in his arms. A pleasant warmth began to circle in his veins.<p>

He was hungry, his eyes were black but he could not imagine feeding on her. He found that idea totally repugnant.

_Hmm, strange._

He was too proud to let his brain admit what his heart had already known.

He could not believe that she was here and she was all his. He stared at her enraptured, a smile of victory playing on his lips. His face looked demonic in the moonlight that streamed through the windows. _No. I must be patient, he told himself. She is not mine, not yet._ _But she will be. She has so much to offer._

Leaving Isabella in her bed, he exited her room and closed the door behind him.

Heidi was in the living room, sitting in his favourite armchair which spoiled his mood totally.

"What are you doing here?" Aro blurted out. "You are not allowed to enter my room without my invitation. Did you forget that?" His dark eyes were filled with anger.

"I am sorry." Heidi stood up. "I just want to tell you that the girl is ready."

"I have never heard a weaker excuse from you. We have phones."

"All I intented to do was to please you." She lowered her eyes.

"And you usually please me, Heidi," he said in a soft voice. "But don´t forget. It is your job to please me. It is the reason for your existence." Aro´s voice was eerily serene and his face expressionless. She seemed to recognize the warning sign and took two steps back.

"I am sorry, Master. May I leave now?" She exhaled.

"Give me your hand." He wanted to know what she thought. She was not angry. She did not feel hatred only fear. Aro had killed her mother and she had not been angry. She had felt admiration for him and some sort of love. Chelsea never bonded her to Aro. There was no need to do that.

He ran his fingers across her cheek and her neck, savouring her soft skin. "You are such a goddess, Heidi but sometimes you push your luck. If you cross the line…." The words hung in the air. His strong fingers encircled her throat. "Should I tell you what will happen?" he whispered into her ear.

She gulped. Apparently, his words sent shivers to her core. She seemed to be aware of that as she knew him. "I would never disobey or betray you, Master."

"Really?" Aro raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Good." He placed a tender kiss on her lips. "Now you are excused, my dear. If I need your service, I will call you." He tilted his head, smiling.

_I am going to cancel her authorized access today._

Aro did not need anybody to step into his room and terrify Isabella, although he was sure that Heidi posed no threat to her. Nobody did but still he found himself protective of this strange creature. He had taken her under his wing and offered her comfort, not knowing why. It was confusing and he hated to be confused.

After looking at sleeping Isabella again, he exited his suite because his dinner was served in his private feeding room. His black robe billowed as he walked down the corridor. The dimmed lights threw his shadow on the marble wall. He floated as he descended the stairs, his black hair flying behind him. Even the air around him exuded an almost mystical power.

He arrived at the end of the hallway, stopped in front of the wooden door, reached the key in the lock, and turned. He entered noiselessly the dark chamber. There were no windows. The beautiful teenage girl was lying on the bed, sleeping. Fluid as a feline, Aro moved toward her and touched her hand tenderly. She did not stir. He paced back and forth in the darkness.

"It is time to wake up, my dear," he said aloud.

She woke up and blinked in the darkness. Aro watched her first reaction. Apparently confusion and then confusion was transformed to fear. She jumped up and froze, scanning her surroundings.

"Who is here?" she asked terrified. Aro kept watching her silently, moving toward his prey under cover of darkness like a leopard. He stood right behind her and smelled her scent. He could feel her body heat.

"Who are you? Answer, please. What are you waiting for?" The tears seemed to begin to well.

She moved with small steps until she hit a wall and then she moved along the wall, groping for the door. She found it but the door was locked. She slid down the wall until she sat on the stone floor.

"Please." She let the tears come and screamed as loud as she could.

"No one can hear you scream," he whispered.

Aro knew her mind. She was afraid of being raped. _Rape? _He was disgusted. He knew that every woman had thought that he had wanted to rape her. _What a conceit!_ He never raped anybody because he would not enjoy sex with a disgusted or terrified female. It had nothing to do with respect for women. He only needed to see, hear, smell and feel her desire. It was so easy for him to arouse a human female as he read her mind. It was so easy to play with her and then, at the moment of her climax, he drained her.

Sometimes he kept a human female and let her live for a couple of days. He behaved like a nice and generous lover. The females followed his rules and believed that he would let them go or turn them. They wanted to live. Any sort of life. They knew that he had the power to spare their lives. They developed a friendship with him, hoping that it meant something but it meant nothing to him.

He was very selective, choosing only a small number of exceptionally interesting females. This girl was pathetic. Nothing earned her a few extra hours or days of life. She was only food.

"Don´t be afraid, Sarah," Aro whispered, his voice soft like falling snow.

The girl flinched and looked around in the darkness, terrified. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"You look like Sarah." He would never get bored with their reactions.

"Don´t hurt me." Sarah was trembling. "Please." She sobbed.

"No, of course not, little one." He used his voice to soothe her. He snapped his fingers, and the room was flooded with light from a ceiling fluorescent.

The girl covered her eyes, squinting in bright light, clearly trying to adjust her eyes. Then she looked at his beautiful face, and seemed to feel a wave of relief. Apparently, she had not expected such a beautiful man but a monster. He stepped forward and touched her cheek to see her mind. She did not move as if she was transfixed by the intensity radiating from him.

"Where are my parents?" she asked in a tremulous voice after a while.

"Don´t be afraid, you will see them soon, little one." Aro smiled gently. _In heaven or in hell. _

He touched her shoulders and caressed them. She relaxed under his touch as if he had infused her with the calm spreading through her body and numbing her fear.

_Magnifico._

His hands slid gently down her back, unzipping her dress. She did not flinch. His finger moved slowly along her spine. He sensed that she liked it. Her blood started to smell delicious. The higher level of endorphins the better the scent and taste. He reached under her dress, wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her tightly against him. His other hand was on her head. He started to graze her neck, and she tilted her head, moaning.

_She is so easy. _Aro smiled inwardly, smelling her delicious blood. She was so quickly lulled into a false sense of security by his demonic charisma.

Without warning, he sank his teeth into her artery and drained her, using his supernatural speed. He sensed the state of her mind. She was disoriented and shocked. She did not catch on as her mind had not enough time to react. The room spun around her and… blackness.

Aro continued to drink her blood. "She is delicious," he purred. After feeding, he dumped her on the floor and exited the room, leaving her body behind. His servants would clean up his room.

After returning to his suite, he found Isabella sitting in the living room and eating breakfast.

She stood up immediately, greeting him.

"Sit down, Isabella. It is your home and I am merely your friend."

She smiled politely. "You are very kind. I would like to thank you for your hospitality and I thought about your suggestion and I would like to find out something about myself and my shield."

Aro nodded his head, smiling. "My dear, I didn´t expect such a mature decision from you." Aro took a few steps toward Isabella and stroked her cheek.

Isabella blushed and lowered her eyes. She looked like a Greek goddess, enshrouded in her white silk robe. He felt drawn to her. She had challenged him, defied him without paying the price for her disobedience. He desired to penetrate into the crevices of her mind but he knew that his craving would not be satisfied today. None of his cravings but tomorrow is another day.

**I wonder what you think. Please give me feedback. Still worth updating?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for your reviews and advice.**

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><p>Aro left his room two hours ago. Isabella paced nervously back and forth in the living room, watching the door of Aro´s room. Curiosity burned inside her like a torch. The door was ajar. She cautiously peered into his room as if she expected to see some terrible monster standing guard. The room seemed more of a study than a bedroom. It was adorned with a Renaissance library, persians carpets and colorful paintings. The large windows offered a stunning panorama of Volterra.<p>

Aro´s bed covered in crimson velvet was situated to the far left and a carved writing table to the right. Isabella spun, looking around in astonishment. A leather-bound book was lying on Aro´s bed. Judging by its paper and script, it must have been centuries old. She took it and tried to read but the book was not written in English. She looked at its cover.

_Jeanne d_**_'_**_Arc, _the title of the book echoed in her mind.

Isabella was staring at the golden script when somebody knocked on the door.

"Open the door, Isabella." She heard a cold female voice.

Isabella tossed the book on the bed and exited the room with a pounding heart.

"Who are you?" Isabella asked, striding toward the door.

"I am Heidi. Master requests your presence in the throne room. Now!" she cried out.

_Why did Aro choose Heidi to pick me up?_ She took a deep breath and reluctantly opened the door.

"Finally!" Heidi entered, handing Isabella a silk white robe. "Get dressed! We have no time!"

Isabella raised her eyebrows. "Good morning, Heidi. It is nice to see you again."

"We have no time for courtesy, Isabella. Can I help you with make-up or with something else?"

"No, I am fine," Isabella answered coldly.

"I can see that. You look really terrible." Heidi looked at her scornfully.

Isabella did not flinch as she knew that Heidi would not dare to hurt her. "Aro likes it that way." Isabella cut Heidi off.

"Hardly. And he is Master or Lord not Aro."

"But you call him Aro."

"Because I know him better than anyone else." She put her hands on her hips, circling Bella like a shark. "You are here because he wants something. Once he get it, he will dump you. You mean nothing to him. You are nothing special only a piece for his collection. An ugly piece." She grinned.

Isabella felt a piercing pain in her chest. She was afraid that it could be true. Unable to resist, she looked in the mirror to face her own reflection and saw an ugly slim duckling with the small breasts. She did not look like the beautiful vampire beside her. Heidi was perfect. Isabella had thought that Rosalie had been beautiful but she looked plain in comparison to Heidi. Isabella could understand why Aro had chosen her. Her seductive body and voluptuous curves drew even Isabella´s attention and Heidi´s face was the face of an angel. Her lustrous mahogany hair came down to her waist. She was gorgeous.

Isabella was aware of the fact that she could not compete with Heidi. She knew she meant nothing special to Aro. It would be more reasonable not to trust him. He behaved strangely. He was hiding something from her. Nevertheless, Isabella was enraptured by him. _He must have put a spell on me, she thought._

_However Heidi will not treat me like dirt_. Isabella steeled herself and fired back. "Maybe he will dump me… maybe not. But now I am in his suite, in his wife´s room and I had to open the door for you to enter. Apparently your palms don´t work." Isabella raised her head, pressing her lips together. She could not help but laugh inwardly at a double meaning in her words.

Heidi folded her arms, locking her murderous red eyes on Isabella as she processed what Isabella had just told her. But Isabella did not cower. She just stood, mirroring Heidi´s posture and returned her gaze with a calm expression. Heidi clenched her fists and that was all she did.

After changing her dress, Isabella hurried down the corridor to keep pace with Heidi.

She felt a chill as she entered the throne room, eyeing the scattered vampires moving around. Aro was here. He did not notice Isabella´s presence or he did not want to notice, so she stood at the doors, all alone, because Heidi had darted toward Felix and Demetri. Aro told something to Jane and she smiled at him adoringly. _I am not the only one who is enraptured by him._ He kissed her cheek. Isabella felt a pang of jealousy and lowered her eyes.

"Isabella." She heard his beautiful voice and whipped her head up. "Come to me, dear one." His fingers beckoned her to come closer so she obeyed him, striding across the room.

"Are you ready, Isabella?"

"Ready for what?" She gulped. He had explained nothing to her as usual.

"Ready for my test."

"I don´t know. What kind of test?" Immediately she felt her skin crawl. She wanted to suppress her fear but it grew, clawing at her.

"Don´t be afraid. You can stand here or sit on my chair if you are dizzy." He pointed his finger at his throne before turning and walking toward the doorway.

_Dizzy? Why should I be dizzy? _She had a bad feeling. All vampires stood on the other side of the room, only Alec stayed with her. She ran toward Aro, trying to catch up with him. He stopped, turned and contemplated her so fully that she felt her heart stop beating.

He shook his head. "Isabella," he said in a cold voice, pursing his lips and pointing at his throne. She froze. With an unsure gait, she returned to her place. Standing all alone, she felt the terrifying reality closing in around her.

Alec came closer to Bella, and a dark mist escaped from his arms, rolling toward her. _My God! _She moved back, trying to avoid the fog.

"Isabella, stand in front of my throne and stay calm. It is safe for you." Aro instructed her.

"What is it?" Isabella asked in a tremulous voice. She did not understand why everyone watched her from such a long distance. She felt an ominous chill.

"It is a poison." Alec smiled.

"Alec!" Aro shouted at the vampire. "What did I tell you?" Alec gulped and lowered his eyes. Apparently he felt guilty.

Isabella cast a long glance at Aro. He was watching her, his hands balled into fists. She shook her head with a pleading expression on her face.

"You are safe, Isabella. Don´t doubt." He fixed his gaze on her. For a moment, Isabella had a feeling that she had seen a pain in his eyes. She sat on Aro´s throne because her legs were too weak.

The mist swirled around the Marcus´s throne, crept toward her, encircling her. Then it gathered itself, rearing up before her like a dark ominous dragon, threatening to swallow her. Panic overtook her. She looked through the mist at Aro again. _Stop that!_ She begged him silently. He seemed to get the message but closed his eyes instead of stopping his experiment. In the silence of the chamber, she could hear her own heart hammering.

And then suddenly the mist stopped moving as if it had reached a barrier. The barrier started exuding bright light. Bella had never seen such a white light before. The light shot upward, engulfing her entire body, piercing the dark mist. The sphere around her intensified. All vampires in the room covered their eyes as if her radiant shield made them blind, but Isabella could stare at her light without difficulties. She got up from Aro´s throne and Alec´s fog retreated. Swaying on her feet, she extended her hand to reach the mist but it retreated again. She waved her hand in a wide arc and the mist moved back. With a burst of confidence, she took a few steps toward the mist and it backed up.

She looked like an angel descending from heaven, dressed in a white robe and flooded with light. All vampires, including three Volturi leaders, squinted at her their mouth gaped open.

She moved her hands quickly and the mist retreated so quickly that it practically shot. Apparently Alec had lost control over his gift. Then Bella spun gracefully like a ballerina and the mist twisted. She spun faster and faster, raising her arms up, and the dark whirl of the mist shot upward, hit the dome, spreading upon impact, and then traced the arch of the ceiling and the columned walls, and moved down to the marble floor like a waterfall. Her sphere was invisible without the mist.

The vampires seemed to make every effort to avoid the mist. After a few seconds Alec was capable of controlling the fog again and let it creep toward Isabella again. The mist enshrouded her.

"Isabella, you are incredible," Aro said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Try to extend your shield. Just wish it. Concentrate."

She did. She tried to press against her shield but the mist did not move. She looked at Aro. He was watching her as if she was the centre of his universe. Something stirred within her and she felt a rush of energy surging through her body and her shield shot out in all directions. The bright light rushed like a wave, erupting against the walls and windows over Isabella´s head. All vampires, including Alec, escaped from the room. The massive panes exploded and jagged shards plummeted into the chamber like a veil of shimmering diamonds.

"No!" Isabella cried out and wanted to stop their movement. They stopped, hovering over her like stars on heaven. It was like stopping time.

"She is a witch!" Caius cried out. His voice sounded like fingernails grating on a chalkboard.

Isabella made a serious mistake as she whipped her head toward him, losing her concentration. Time accelerated. In a split second she knelt on the floor, curling up into a ball and covering her face with her hands. She sensed a strong body embrace her.

Aro covered her with his thick cloak and shielded her against the falling glass with his body. Her eardrums felt like they had exploded because of a deafening sound. Despite Aro´s protection, a few shards ricocheted off the marble floor and pierced her soft skin. Her blood started flowing from her wounds.

**Did you like Bella? This chapter was very difficult for me so I hope you understand everything:-))) Please reviews! Thank you.**


	9. Chapter 9

**It took me three weeks but I put all my effort into it. I hope you will like it. Remember, I learn English by writing fanfics, so sorry for my mistakes.**

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><p>A jolt of pain penetrated my body. With great effort, I managed to stand up, only to fall on the marble floor again. I saw the sharp shards of glass protruding from my skin. The warm blood was trickling down my body. I felt beads of cold sweat materialize on my trembling shell. I heard Aro commanding the vampires to do something, but I did not understand what he was saying.<p>

Trembled and paralyzed in silence on the floor of the throne room, I gasped for air, barely able to draw in a breath. I looked around the room with dread. All vampires, except Aro, were gone. It was as if they had evaporated, turned into steam.

The floor was covered with the ragged shards of glass. High above my head, the shattered windows opened to the sky. But I was so tired that I could barely perceive the scene around me. I teetered on the brink of unconsciousness, feeling like my mind hovered in an endless chasm. The past couple of minutes defied all logic.

The silence of the room was broken by Aro´s voice. "Isabella?" he whispered. Looking concerned, he helped me to my feet and squeezed me gently, apparently knowing my soft body could not take much pressure. He lifted me in his arms and carried me down the corridor. My vision was blurred, and I lost my consciousness.

I awoke to find myself lying on the bed in my room flooded with sunshine. I sat bolt upright in bed, watching the rays of the sun streaming through the large windows. I was disorientated, not knowing how much time had passed, but I had no amnesia or lapse of memory. The incident was etched in my mind.

I was naked except for a white silk chemise. Somebody washed me and my hair and treated my wounds. My body smelled of roses. I ran my fingers over the Band-Aids, feeling only a mild pain. Then I stood up slowly and moved toward the mirror. Watching my reflection in the mirror, I sensed a mix of emotions churning within me. A lot of thoughts circulated through my mind. _What is wrong with me?_ _What happened?_ _Who treated me? Aro? _I frowned. But immediately the image of Aro swirled through my mind.

I imagined myself lying in the billowing warmth of my bath. I saw the clear water running into the bath and heard its gurgling in my mind. The steam rose all around me. The warm liquid was rising, swallowing my naked body. I imagined Aro´s beautiful eyes gazing down at me through the veil of fluid and his hands sliding along my curves. _He must have stripped me and ….touched me. Where? _I bit my lip, trying to return to reality.

I went to my bathroom to brush my teeth. After completing my morning routine, I put on my dressing gown and sat on my bed, waiting. I wanted to know where Aro was. I moved slowly and quietly across the living room toward his room. Without moving and breathing, I put my ear to the door, listening. I heard nothing. _May I knock? No._

I turned to run to my room, but I found myself facing Aro, who stood before me.

"How can I help you?" he asked, stepping closer to me.

I bit my lip, hesitating. I did not mean to spy on him.

"I only wanted to know if you were in your room." I smiled embarrassed.

"No, I was on the balcony, my dear."

I was not deceived by the politeness of his voice. Something was wrong. He opened the door, motioning for me to follow him.

Entering the room, I noticed that his book was still lying on his bed. He snatched it, using his vampire speed, and replaced it. He hid it lest I could see it.

_Why did he hide it? _

His strange behaviour discouraged me from asking about this book. I was afraid of antagonizing him.

He stood by the window, his hands clasped behind him and his eyes fixed on birds beating their wings against the sky. He had a forbidding, not to say formidable expression. His distant behaviour both repelled and attracted me.

I was sure that I not only had destroyed the throne room but also had failed the test. I had no idea what it had happened to me. How was it possible that I had shattered the windows and stopped the shards of glass in mid-air simply by wishing it?

_Maybe it was not me. Perhaps someone else did it. _

However, something pained me more. He was angry.

"Master?" I started carefully. It was the first I addressed him so respectfully. "Is something wrong? I don´t suppose there is a reason for anxiety, is there?"

"No, my dear. Everything is fine. You were incredible but we will continue to test your power after your transformation." His voice was laced with cold.

"I am sorry for destroying the room. I don´t understand. What is wrong with me? It is not natural," I said, waiting for him to shed some light on the situation, but he told me nothing. I struggled to withhold my tears and forced myself to override the urge to flee.

"Go to bed, Isabella. You must be exhausted," he said without looking at me.

"I am sorry that I failed," I cried out and burst into tears, running into my room, but he materialized in front of me, and I hit him hard. He prevented me from falling by his icy grip around my shoulders. The room spun around me. He released me immediately but remained standing less then a foot from me.

"Isabella, there is nothing for you to cry about. You did not fail. I failed. I am to blame," he said exasperated.

It was a surprise to me for him to admit his fault.

"I promised that nothing would happen to you, but I did not expect …that. This result could not have been predicted. I did not suspect it for a moment that you would shatter the windows." He threw up his hands. "Forgive me, Isabella."

"But you saved my live. I owe it to you that I am still alive."

" That was a close shave**.**" He raised his eyebrows.

"Could you give me an explanation of how it could have happened, because I have to know that. I am only a human being? I did not understand. It had never happened to me before. Am I a witch?" I gulped.

He burst into laughter. "My God. Don´t listen to Caius." He paused and then continued. "The energy inside you can protect you, but you can use it in different ways, for example, you can move objects or stop them. It is called telekinesis. It is a psychic ability to control matter with the mind." He shrugged his shoulders. "Jane and Alec had supernatural ability before their transformation too."

I only nodded my head. I could not speak as a new revelation struck me.

"How do you feel, Isabella?"

"I am fine." I bit my lips and then blurted out, " who treated me? May I ask?" I blushed embarrassed.

Aro seemed to hear my heart beating. Watching me, he smiled mysteriously as if he could read my thoughts. He knew exactly what I was thinking. He did not need his gift to gain access to my mind.

"I did," he whispered, scrutinizing me. "You had the shards of glass in your dress, hair and skin. Fortunately, you did not suffer a serious injury." He gave me a little smile. "I would like to assure you that I did it with the utmost respect. Your fears are groundless, Isabella," he said without breaking eye contact with me, clearly waiting for my reaction.

"Thank you, I have no objections." I lowered my eyes, blushing. "How long can I stay in this room?" I changed the subject, in order to free myself from the discomfort of shame burning inside me.

"You can stay for an eternity," he whispered and took a tiny step toward me. He was very close to me, but I stood still. I could smell his scent.

"This is your wife´s room. I don´t understand."

"Neither do I. But perhaps it is time to stop trying to understand." He breathed out, touching my chin gently and forcing my head up. "Look at me," he whispered. His gentle touch felt like it was burning through me.

I met his gaze and was struck by the passion in his eyes. My legs felt rubbery. _What does he want to do?_

He stroked my face and then ran his fingers through my hair. I felt waves of arousal surging through my body. I breathed in and out, mustering the courage. Nevertheless, I was scared. _I don´t know him. Is it safe?_

"Master, I just…" I was silenced with his finger touching my lips. His face was serene but without a hint of a smile. "Don´t be afraid. I will not hurt you. I can control myself."

I closed my eyes, trembling. I recalled Edward´s attempts to kiss me. It was impossible to have sex with Edward, but Aro was different, he did not mind my blood. _However, I am not ready for intimacy, am I? Can I refuse him? _I took a few steps back, watching his reaction.

He gave me a beautiful smile. "Don´t run, Isabella," he whispered, savouring the pronunciation of my name. "You don´t want to escape. Believe me. All you want is to be caught up." He took two steps toward me and leaned over me. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, "confess." His eyes found mine.

He splayed one hand across the back of my neck, and his other hand caressed my back. He tilted his head, and his lips approached mine.

_He wants to kiss me._

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain shoot through my neck and cried out.

"What?" Aro looked at me. "Did I hurt you?" He sounded bewildered.

"No. Something has stung me." I pointed my finger at the place on my neck.

Aro moved my hair to the side and examined my neck. "How could I have missed it? There is a larger shard of glass." Trying to remove the glass from my skin, he squeezed the wound, and I whimpered in pain. "Hush, little one. It is over," he whispered and put the shard on the table.

I felt a warm liquid trickling down my neck. _I am bleeding_. Aro stood behind me, gently caressing my neck. The shiver ran down my spine. _My God. It is a dangerous game._ He tenderly licked and sucked the blood from the wound. His cold lips anesthetized my skin. I bowed my head, trying not to moan aloud. His lips trailed my throat passionately and his strong arms encircled my torso.

"Master, please, don´t…" My voice failed me as a wave of arousal crashed through me. I dug my fingernails into my palms.

He seemed to be accustomed to getting what he wanted. Without hesitation or asking, he pressed my soft trembling body against his, appearing to take little interest in my will. Nevertheless, despite my fear of the unknown, I found his predatory behaviour exciting. I relaxed in his arms, closing my eyes and giving him better access to my neck by tilting my head.

Suddenly, I heard a sharp female voice. "So it´s true! You have replaced me!"

I opened my eyes wide and saw a beautiful blond-haired vampire standing in the door way. Her murderous gaze was directed at me.

**The next chapter will be very dark. Bella will find something out about the Volturi ´s and Aro´s nature. If you like it, remember, I love to read your reviews. Thank you.**


	10. Chapter 10

Isabella´s mouth fell open in shock, watching the beautiful vampire in front of her.

"Sulpicia, my dear, did you decide to pay me a visit despite the fact I had forbidden that?" Isabella heard Aro´s eerie whisper behind her. It made her skin crawl.

Aro´s hands released her and pushed her behind him so she could not see his face directly, but only his reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall before them. He watched Sulpicia with fire in his eyes but Sulpicia did not flinch. She faced him bravely, and Isabella felt admiration rather than jealousy.

"How is it possible that you escaped from the tower and entered my room?" he asked politely. Then his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Did you come in through the balcony?" He pointed his finger at the balcony doors. "How disgraceful! You only make a fool of yourself." Aro looked out the window at the sun on the horizon, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I don´t care what you think," she hissed, her cold voice cutting through the air. "Your opinion means nothing to me. I hate you, Monster. You took everything from me."

Aro shook his head again. "Do you mean your lover?" he fired back.

"I have done nothing to be ashamed of. And no, I mean my soul and my life. I am damned because of you!" she cried out.

Aro rolled his eyes. "You have always had a tendency to exaggerate." He clenched his jaw, disgusted. "I am not in the mood to listen to your mourning again. I gave you life and immortality. I realize that this circumstance is rather unfortunate. I can´t change the past but I can always change the future." Aro said.

But Sulpicia did not seem to pay attention to his words as she gazed at Isabella, giving her a scornful look. "Do you think that you can trust him? Do you know what he wants? He…" She was cut off by Aro who hit her full force across her face. Sulpicia was airborne before slamming into the stone wall. The large mirror fell on the floor and shattered into thousands of pieces. She collapsed on the carpet.

In one fluid motion, Aro moved toward her, towering over her for a second, and than he wound her long blond hair around his hand and pulled her head backwards with such force that Isabella hissed as she almost felt Sulpicia´s pain shoot through her own neck. It was a wonder that Sulpicia still had her head on her neck.

Aro dragged her up by her hair, pinning her against the wall with his body. His strong fingers encircled her delicate neck and the other hand held her both arms easily above her head so she was unable to move.

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><p>" You crossed the line. If only you had stayed in the tower. I wish you had obeyed me," Aro whispered in her ear. „Hmm, very interesting thoughts," he mused, reading her mind. "Should I explain to you the impossibility of carrying out your intention? You knew there were little chance of success." His cold voice sharpened like a razor blade and then he fell silent for a long time, his eyes seething. He felt a momentary temptation to hit her again.<p>

He was furious, trying to keep his emotions in check, but he felt anger boiling to the surface. Sulpicia´s mind cried so loudly that he could not bear that. Her thirst for Isabella´s blood was out of control. She was incapable of rational thinking, which was good, because someone with a rational mind would kill Isabella in a split second. Fortunately, for some reason, Sulpicia decided to carry out her intention to murder Isabella when Aro was present in the room. _She must be crazy._

He knew her desire to kill Isabella was not caused by her love for him or jealousy but hatred. She wanted to destroy her because she hated him so much. Sulpicia was sure that Isabella meant something special to him.

His grip around her throat tightened, and he slowly began to twist her pale neck.

"Let me go. You are hurting me!" Sulpicia choked.

"It´s all right. I want to hurt you." He watched her with an innocent expression on his face, pondering her fate.

"Now the question arises how we will continue," he said, thinking. "Yes," he crooned with a smile in his voice. "It only remains for me to say goodbye." He kissed Sulpicia on her forehead and his thumb stroked her neck gently.

"What?" Sulpicia blurted out. "You are bluffing," she said, fear creeping into her voice.

"Am I?" Aro whispered eerily, his voice echoed across the room.

Isabella put both her hands on her mouth, trembling, apparently knowing what to expect.

Aro stopped for a moment and whipped his head toward Isabella. His red eyes pierced her like two lasers, and Isabella jumped a few steps backward, apparently gasping for breath. Aro´s eyes softened as he saw her fear. "Isabella, leave us. Find Renata and stay with her. I will see you later." Suddenly his voice sounded incredibly smooth and soft.

Isabella turned and darted for the door where she collided with Felix and Demetri who materialized in front of her, but she managed to stay on her feet, and ran out of the room, apparently struggling to catch her breath.

Felix and Demetri stood a few steps from their master, bowing their heads in embarrassment. "Master, we have no idea how it is possible that she escaped." They stumbled.

Aro released Sulpicia and took a few steps back without breaking eye contact with her. Felix and Demetri immediately grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back, forcing her to kneel before Aro. Aro watched his trembling wife but felt nothing. Despite seeing her fear in her maroon eyes, he felt no mercy. The moments, they had shared together, flashed before his eyes, but nothing could make his heart softer. He never loved her but he had never wanted her death before, until now. He knelt before her and silently watched her desperate struggle with the vampires, a struggle for survival. She did not want to give up. She fought like a feline, trying to wriggle free. A dark smile played on his lips.

"You thought that you could take Isabella from me, didn´t you? I can´t believe you are so foolish." He shook his head. „Nobody can. I will do everything I can to prevent that. She will be mine as long as I exist." Now he was talking forcefully like his word was law.

"No! I would never hurt her. Please, you have to believe me."

"I am not sure about that, my love. I have seen all evidence to the contrary. I cannot afford to be merciful now, because a lot of important things are at stake." Aro raised his eyebrows, nodding his head.

"I have always refused to use Chelsea´s power on you. I have never manipulated you. Do you know why? I have never had a reason for such an action, because you have always been dispensable. You are not worthy of manipulation, my love. It would be such a waste."

I hate you, Monster," Sulpicia growled, apparently trying to wriggle out of the guard´s grasp. "Isabella will find out the truth anyway," she cried out.

"What is the truth? You have no idea what the truth is." Aro whispered, stroking Sulpicia´s cheek like a tender lover. Then he put his hands gently on her head, squeezing her tightly, concentrating, and then pulled her head violently to the side. He knew her neck had snapped when he heard the familiar cracking sound. Her beautiful body fell on the floor. He was slowly tearing her into pieces when Felix lighted the fireplace.

"Thank you, you can go now. I need to be alone." The guard bowed their heads before leaving.

After he threw her remains into the fire, he sat down in the armchair, watching her marble skin blister and peel off. The smell of her burning tissue wafted through the air, permeating his lungs. Sulpicia´s torn body turned into ashes before his eyes. He focused on his feelings. He felt no remorse, no compunctions but a sudden surge of relief.

**I am afraid to ask what you think. Too dark? He is a killer but he is a tender lover too.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for your reviews. **

**Matharose111612 ...yes, he will be a tender lover to Bella. This is an Aro and Bella story. **

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><p>"Aro," Aro heard a familiar voice behind his back pulling him from his daydream. Turning his head, he saw Caius´s elegant silhouette emerge from the hall and float across the messy room toward him.<p>

"Caius." Aro exhaled, staring at Caius with a look somewhere between indifference and numbness.

"What are you doing here?" Caius looked around, eyeing the scattered shards of glass on the floor. His gaze traced cracks in the wall, and then he gestured toward the fireplace. Clearly he smelled the stench of the burning flesh that drifted from the dying fire.

"I am cleaning up." Aro shrugged his shoulders. "I just needed to burn something," he answered without emotions.

Caius fixed his eyes on the Volturi crest lying on the coffee table. He seemed to understand what Aro had meant, his eyes popped, but he said nothing.

"I need to talk to you about the girl." Caius settled into the armchair in front of Aro, folding his arms over his chest.

"What is bothering you, Brother?" Aro asked with a pretended interest.

"Can you control her?" Waiting for Aro´s answer, Caius seemed impatient. Apparently this question had been on his mind long time.

"No, I cannot control her, nor read her mind," Aro answered calmly. "This is incredibly exciting," he added with a wicked grin plastered upon his face, unable to keep enthusiasm from his voice. "I don´t know her. She is a mystery to me. I touched her and ….nothing, only a deafening silence. I have never dreamt of such a thing happening to me again. I cannot wait for more. I am eager to know her better." Aro´s eyes shone with excitement.

Caius clearly wanted to hold himself back but, as usual, he was not successful and blurted out, "You cannot keep her!" His eyes sparkled with fury.

Aro knew Caius had never existed in a state of harmony with his surroundings but now he felt something more dangerous from his furious demeanor.

"She is too dangerous. She is definitely not a woman to underestimate. Chelsea cannot bond her. She is only a human and….Did you see that?!…The windows! She is more powerful than the French witch was. Don´t tell me that we have avoided one problem only to come against another!" Caius snarled.

"The French witch?" Aro repeated with a look of confusion, pursing his red lips.

"The whore of Orleans." Caius clenched his fists. "Don´t fuck with me, Aro!" He seemed to lose control over his behaviour completely.

"Yes, sweet little Joan." Aro raised his eyebrows, nodding his head. "My God, Caius, don´t use these words. I hate that," he said, frowning at his brother.

"Excuse me for being rude," Caius hissed, pressing his lips tightly together. His gaze intensified.

Aro exhaled, scrutinizing his enraged brother, and then he said, "Isabella is still a human, but I injected a small drop of my venom into her blood. This tiny drop was not enough for the transformation, of course, but enough to improve her capability of using her gifts. You cannot smell my venom, because her shield makes it impossible."

Caius seemed to feel shock, his mouth fell open."How could you do this?" he whispered. This information seemed to crash over him like a wave.

"You know I am not a man accustomed to taking orders, Caius. Nobody will tell me what to do." Aro fixed his eyes on his brother and his voice hardened.

Without warning, Caius banged his fist on the table in protest so hard that the top of the table splintered into pieces on impact. "Aro, no! I am not going to step aside! I don´t care who you are. I am not giving you a choice in this matter. Kill her before it is too late!" Caius cried out. "If you change her, she could destroy us. She is a huge threat. Are you blind!?" Caius jumped to his feet. The armchair fell backward, hitting the marble floor with a loud thud. He paced nervously back and forth in the room, looking frustrated by a lack of Aro´s cooperation.

Aro clicked his tongue. "Calm down, Caius. There is no reason to panic." He struggled not to lose his composure. "She is not like Joan and I will be her maker. After all, I will be able to control her." He tried to persuade his brother, but Caius did not seem to give up.

"You were not sure in Joan´s case." His voice trembled with rage.

"The situation is slightly different. Isabella wants to be a vampire. She is not religious at all. I marked her and the reaction of her body is positive. She is drawn to me. She seemed confused, because she cannot figure out why. She is so sweet." Aro crooned, closing his eyes, smiling. The image of Isabella swirled through his mind.

"We will give her chance. She will neither betray us nor fight us. She will be one of us. And she is not invincible." Aro raised his eyebrows, shaking his head knowingly. " Now she has no idea how to use her power, but we will teach her."

"What if you are wrong?" Caius asked, sounding very displeased with Aro´s argumentation.

"If I am wrong, which I am not, you can always depend upon me to do what is necessary. I am aware of my responsibilities to our family, Caius. If she betrays us or refuses to be changed, I will kill her myself," Aro said and immediately felt a sharp pain shoot through his heart. He rubbed his chest.

"Aro…." Caius shook his head in disbelief and fell silent, apparently thinking how to persuade his brother to change his mind.

_He has always been a difficult creature to deal with. He never accepts defeat quickly. _Aro thought and stared blankly toward the fireplace, feeling an urge to burn him too. The image of Caius´s death dominated his mind and every cell in his body wanted to tear his head off. He felt an unexpected surge of protective instinct toward Isabella.

"No, definitely not." Caius said, this time with such conviction that it surprised even Aro. "The same blood circulates in Isabella´s veins and she carries the same genes as Joan! " he cried out again. "You could kill her in her sleep. She would feel nothing. Kill her or I will! I won´t let her destroy us." Caius´s voice sounded resolutely. Aro knew that Caius would not change his attitude, nevertheless, unlike Sulpicia, his brother was definitely worthy of manipulation.

Despite feeling ready to erupt with fury, Aro slowly stood up from his armchair and, with a few powerful strides, moved gracefully toward his brother. He touched Caius´s neck in a friendly manner and said,"I am going to tell you what you will do. You will forget Joan of Arc and her bloodline. You will think that Isabella is just a sweet child. She poses no threat to us and I will take care of the rest. It is my job to protect us. Do you understand, Caius?" He spoke to him like a father to his son.

"Yes, I understand," he answered in a trance, clearly hanging on Aro´s every word.

"Wake up, Caius." Aro snapped his fingers.

Caius repeatedly blinked his eyes, looking around.

"What is bothering you, Brother?" Aro asked with a pretended interest. His eyes bored into Caius.

Looking bewildered, Caius stood with a confused memory in the middle of the room, apparently trying to remember, why he had entered Aro´s room.

"I don´t know, probably nothing important because it completely slipped my mind." Caius shook his head in confusion, his eyes roaming the place.

_I don´t understand why I try to talk to him. There is always an easier way. _A dark smile played on Aro´s lips and his crimson eyes shone as if he had just discovered the mystery of the universe.

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